Results

VS Yorkshire 3-3, Lost on tiebreak shootout

VS Leicestershire 4-2

3rd and 4th Playoff

VS H&W won 5-1

Team

• Collen Mhlanga – Captain
• Harry Malone – Assistant
• Veer Tumber
• William Harvey
• Dylan Ram
• Sebastian Wood
• Rehan Redza

To view the full results click here

Captains Report

County Cup 2024 Playoff Group 1a – Warwickshire Boys 14u
Squad – Veer Tumber, William Harvey, Dylan Ram, Sebastian Wood, Rehan Redza
Captain – Collen Mhlanga
Vice-captain – Harry Malone

Our Saturday kicked off in the afternoon with a match-up against Yorkshire. Veer (1) started us off
with a fantastic performance, eventually losing out to a top-10 ranked opponent in a tight 3 rd set tie
break (10-7). Will (2) gave his all but lost to another top-tenner from Yorkshire. Dylan (3) managed to
tough out a win in a 3 rd set tie break, showing real composure against a lively adversary! Seb (4)
played his match perfectly, using smart counter attacking tennis to get a win against a big hitter. 2-2
after singles, onto the doubles…
Veer and Will (1) teamed up brilliantly to secure the win, playing smart doubles and dominating the
net. Dylan and Seb (2) unfortunately lost out, meaning we went to a 3-3 shoutout match tie break.
Veer and Dylan teamed up superbly against a really strong Yorkshire pair, and couldn’t have come
any closer to getting the win, in a heartbreaking but gripping decider. Warks 3-3 Yorkshire (Yorkshire
wins shootout 11-9)
We started our next tie against Leicestershire in the evening as we’d all seen Sunday’s forecast, with
all 4 singles being played concurrently. Veer won a deciding tie break, showing strength of character
and mindset from a set down, and leading by example. Will lost out in a gutting match tie break, 13-
11, having battled his way back from a set down. Dylan showed a lot of determination to get his 2 nd
tie break win in singles. Unfortunately Seb couldn’t quite get over the line despite ‘rallying’ from 3-0
down in his 2 nd set, eventually just missing out. All of this left us at 2-2 after the singles.
After a lot of tennis, we headed back to the hotel for a phone-free dinner. The boys updated the
captains on some unfamiliar new phrases whilst enjoying a mixed grill, and some ‘bets’ were made
for the following days play, with all the boys (and captains) agreeing to new haircuts depending on
Sundays results. Unfortunately these didn’t pan out, so we’ll all just have to imagine Collen as a
blonde and Veer’s ‘loose perm’.
We arose early on Sunday only for heavy rain to delay the start of play, so instead the morning was
spent on sports trivia quizzes, with mixed success.
When we finally got back to the tennis, we resumed with the doubles against Leicestershire and
kicked things off with 2 brilliant wins. Will and Dylan (1), and Veer and Rehan (2) both won in
straight sets, showing assuredness and composure. Warks 4-2 Leicestershire. This left us 2 nd in our
group behind Yorkshire by the tightest of margins having lost the shootout, and we went through to
the 3 rd /4 th place playoff vs Hereford & Worcestershire.
Here, the boys really excelled and showed their best form. Veer dominated another highly ranked
opponent, winning in style, 4-0 4-0. Will got a richly deserved singles win, recovering brilliantly from
3-0 down to win 4-3 4-0. Dylan won his 3 rd singles match of the week. Seb performed really well and
lost in very unlucky circumstances, 10-8 in the deciding match tie break. 3-1 up going into doubles.
Will and Dylan (1) won 4-2 4-3, and Veer and Rehan (2) won 4-0 4-1, sealing a 5-1 win for Warks over
H+W, and a creditable 3 rd place finish overall.

We were incredibly proud of the boys this week. They showed up big time when it mattered and
ultimately came up short by the smallest of margins; they could easily have been competing in the
1 st /2 nd playoff against Bucks, but for a point here or there. No losses were due to a lack of spirit. They
fought hard in sometimes challenging conditions, kept their heads and their attitude will get them a
long way. They are a credit to their clubs, their coaches and their county, and made the weekend
very enjoyable for the captains; they’re a great group of lads and deserve their success.
Thanks also to the parents who showed up in the wind and rain to live every point with them.